madmax

I'm pretty sure he's right about that. Did anybody bat an eye when Layton made his little "backroom deal"? Layton's on pretty shaky ground if he wants to complain. What are you talking about?

Forcing women into the workplace was a big problem, like when they earned the right to vote or the right to drive a car. Sarcasm!!! I bet it was troubling when those women went to work in factories while the men where fighting overseas. Some of them lost their husbands to fighting. And when the soldiers came back, alot of women where displaced from their jobs, or lost them after having children. Yes, those women, whom contributed to our society and wanted to be treated equally. Regardless of income splitting, your comments are despicable.

Agricore is a corporation with assets. The CWB has none. To compete, it would have to buy lots of assets with no guarantee that it wouldn't lose market share. Farmers would be better to buy shares in Saskpool or AU. They have assets. I shouldn't be telling you anything new here. If and when the CWB loses it monopoly, it will cease to exist altogether. It isn't a company. It is a marketing board with no assets to buy. I believe the farmers in the west are well aware that you cannot have both. It is up to the farmers and they have made a decision. If the question put to them was unfactual, then that is a problem the Federal Government will have to address in the future.

That is a very interesting article. I think the biggest disapointment is that the Greens where trying to portray themselves as "fresh and new" and above the political games of the "old" parties. May has been around political circles since Mulroney and this deal reflects nothing "fresh". It is old style politics, and the very fact that Chretian is endorsing the idea, reminds me of the reasons why the Liberals are in opposition.

No, Layton was complaining about May & Dion's backroom deal. May basically called him a hypocrite for being critical of their "backroom deal" while having his own backroom deals with Harper. IF I recall correctly. Ed Broadbent identified it as a backroom deal. Elizabeth May, not getting the response she wanted, tried to get Stephen Lewis's co-operation to have Jack come around to her logic. The deal with Dion was a backroom deal. Jack Layton pointed out the obvious. May then went on to claim that Jack Layton was initiating backroom deals with Stephen Harper while she was being questioned about her character. Elizabeth May as far as I am aware has not provided any proof and is using her comments to smear Harper and Layton with the same Brush as Dion and herself. So in those many rare moments which come along in this forum, I am going to back the statement above of Michael Bluth.

And obviously this is the only factor involved.... No. According to this poll, where anybody can vote online for the fun of it.

From Wiki Write your version of events in Afghanistan. Here>>

I did some quick calculations subtracting Each Parties Gain total from its loser total. According to this poll the big winner in this "deal" between the Liberals and the Greens are the Conservatives: 40.54% overall Positive Gain. No other party received an overall positive rating. The big loser according to this poll are the Liberals: 35.14% overall Net Loss. The NDP down 2.7% The Greens down 2.7% The Bloc and Other column, suggest no net gain or loss. So if this was Dions way of making the Liberals Stronger, it would appear to have failed.

Obviously this was a backroom deal. The question is, how is this deal being received, by Liberals, Greens and the General Public.

Eric Margolis is a solid journalist (OP_ED, Columist, Broadcaster etc). You want to write your version of events in Afghanistan. edited for White Doors

Do you think that Elizabeth May will be successful in deflecting attention away from her actions?

There is merit to this statement. Many parties have leaders and no seats. The parlimentary tradition has been awarded in the past to parties with seats in the house. That is the "tradition". I am not certain which parties throughout Canada's history have benefited from this practice. But certainly it is a Liberal/Conservative tradition.

While public opinion is important. You should be talking to the interested parties. Fact is, Alberta is solidly Conservative, and I think Sask. voted overwhelmingly Conservative. The publicity the arrested parties achieved was effective.

Excellent Points JP. That said, there is alot of partisan yacking going on. Some very misinformed. The latest column by Eric Margolis, whom was a foreign correspondent during the USSR invasion, should not be dismissed as silly. You can comment on his work, but to state that his view is silly is unfounded. For you to bring in a comparable scenario is constructive. BTW Gord Oconner was on TV yesterday and he made stated that we will not be staying past 2009. This is the first time, where he didn't hedge that we stay longer. This was a reversal of what he said on April 3rd of this year. Whereas this is an open ended statement, when he was question yesterday about the 2009 date, he stated the government has not chosen to issue anything past 2009.

The Television Networks may have more say to this in the end. If they think they can get better ratings they will. Think of the Scenario, after all Leaders go head to head with one another it gets down to May and Dion Libs:I really like you Elizabeth Green:I like you do Mr. Dion. L:Remember when Garth Turner was a CPC member. G:Yes I do. L: Remember when he campaigned for you in London G:Yes L: He's Liberal Now G: Yes L: Well, nudge nudge wink wink. G: What do you mean. L: You know..........., the phone call. G: Sorry, thanks for not running a candidate. L: Sooooo G: What are you implying L: Well, I am pretty green as a leader G: I am Green too L: Well, how about it, on national TV G: How about what? L: Tell them. G: What? L: Go ahead and tell them, tell them what you told me. G: What? L: on the phone, tell them, that I am going to be a great Prime Minister. That you support me. G: I did that before L: But this is the debate, tell everyone how great I am to lead and work on the environment. G: But you didn't get it done. L: What!!!!! G: Oh yes, you should be President, opps, Prime Minister, but you didn't get it done. L: Oh Shit. G: I still am thinking about joining you guys, but I was a Mulroney Tory L: Oh good, Remember Garth? G: You mentioned him earlier. L: Yes, nudge nudge wink wink. G: Oh yes, sorry, the phone call. I wish I could have gotten Layton to back you as well. But I got outed. L: We didn't run anyone against you. We have lots of media saying you can win there. Pretty good isn't it. G: I said you would be a good Prime Minister. L: I want you to win. You would make a great cabinet minister. You can be a Gliberal. G: Well, wasn't Belinda a Conservative, then a cabinet Minister, and no just a Liberal MP. She's quitting isn't she? L: I thought we liked each other? G: No I am just another single minded opportunist taking advantage of the Liberal offers. L: I really Like you Elizabeth G: I like you to Mr. Dion Time is over return to your chairs L: I have a dog you know. You know his name? G: I know . L: No, it's Kyoto.

Yup

CB Said I haven't bothered with babble.ca . I just checked it out, and if this is the feeling of the "left" then May is in serious trouble.

From Wiki

I have a quote from Layton from April 13th, from the Brantford Expositor, courtesy of google. Cooperation is a two way street. Clearly Harper isn't interested in collaborating with the NDP. Infact the NDP have been on their own, while the Liberals and the Bloc make deals with the CPC. May is already trying to spin this by talking about the NDP in an attempt to deflect attention away from her decision. Didn't take her long to spin this.

Karzai doesn't have enough support of his own Pashtuns. Outside of his ethnic Background, those in the North, whom aren't the Pashtuns would be rid of Karzai in a heartbeat. He lives a dangerous life for a person his opponents refer to as a school teacher and not a leader.

JDobbin has a very good grasp of Afghanistan. Eric Margolis is not silly.

I am interested in anyone coming up with the first poll after the Dion-May anti-agression pact.

May has demonstrated that she is a weak leader of a party that was hoping to make a breakthrough. Stephen Lewis told her his view which is also the NDPs position. I believe that Jack Layton has shown strength in Leadership with regards to these Liberal Style backroom antics. From the Globe and Mail Here are Ed Broadbents comments. IMHO the Liberals are moving further and further out of mainstream politics. Dion may have been an underdog going for the Liberal Leadership, but he is making decisions that remind me of Stockwell Day. The Liberals have taken all the heat off the Conservatives and put it in their backyard. I await the damage control from the spin doctors over this doctored affair. Dion and May have made a career limiting agreement.

You mean in a minority, does the ADQ have influence and authority on this issue? You bet. Then I will concur with figleaf.